April 9, 2023 (Easter) – Psalms 16; 22; 31; 109

Lesson Date: April 9, 2023 – EASTER SUNDAY

Focal Scripture Passage: Psalm 16:8-11; 31:5; 109:2-5, 22-25

AIM: To lead students to discover some aspects of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection that were prophesied hundreds of years earlier in the Psalms, and to respond to Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection with thanksgiving and renewed trust.

Before class: Read the notes on Psalm 16; 31; and 109 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Enlist some volunteers to look up the following verses and be prepared to read them to the class when called upon: Psalm 22:1, 7-8; 31:5; 69:21; Acts 2:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.  Write the lesson title, “Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection” on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Welcome everyone to Sunday School with a greeting of, “Happy Easter!”  Ask: “What do we celebrate on Easter Sunday?” (the resurrection of Jesus Christ).  Tell the class that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the three essential elements of the Gospel.  Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.  Tell them the Gospel message includes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Ask: “Did you notice a particular phrase that appeared twice in those two verses?”  Ask the volunteer to re-read the verses.  The repeated phrase is, “according to the scriptures.”  That phrase lets us know that God planned the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ long before it took place, and He inspired His writers to record prophecies about it in the Old Testament scriptures.  Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Acts 2:23.

Tell the students that there are many prophecies about Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection in the book of Psalms.  On this Easter Sunday morning, we will look at some of those prophecies and their fulfillment.  The title of today’s lesson is Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (prophecies in the Psalms about Christ’s Life and Ministry).
   • Ask if anyone would recite last week’s memory verse (Psalm 118:14).
   • Ask: “Have you told anyone about Jesus this week?”
2. Christ’s Crucifixion.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 109.
   • Read Psalm 109:2-5.
   • Explain the following:
     • Jesus never did anything wrong, but He was hated, lied about, and brutally attacked.
     • Jesus came to earth because of His love (John 3:16), but many people hated Him.
     • He went about doing good, but the Jewish religious leaders sent Him to the cross.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 109:22-25.
   • Tell the students these verses foreshadow Christ’s suffering on the cross.
   • Ask: “What does verse 25 say the people would do when they saw Him on the cross?” (shake their heads in reproach and disgust).
   • Ask everyone to turn to Matthew 27.
   • Read Matthew 27:37-39.
   • Ask: “According to verse 39, what did the people do when they passed by?” (shook their heads).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Psalm 22:7-8.
   • Ask: “What do these verses say would happen while Jesus was on the cross?” (people would mock Him and challenge God to deliver Him from the cross).
   • Read Matthew 27:43.
   • Ask: “What happened when Jesus was crucified?” (the people challenged God to deliver Jesus from the cross if He was truly the Son of God).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Psalm 22:1.
   • Read Matthew 27:46.
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Psalm 69:21.
   • Read Matthew 27:34, 48.
   • Stress the fact that each of the prophecies about Jesus’ crucifixion were perfectly fulfilled.
   • Summarize: A thousand years before Jesus came to earth, God used the psalmist David to tell us specific things that would happen during Christ’s crucifixion.
3. Christ’s Death.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Luke 23.
   • Read Luke 23:44-46.
   • Ask: “According to verses 44-45, what happened just before Jesus died?” (the sun was darkened and the veil of the Temple was torn in two).
   • Ask: “According to verse 46, what did Jesus say just before He died?” (“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”).
   • Ask: “Have you ever wondered why He spoke those specific words? Why do you think He said them?”
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Psalm 31:5.
   • Tell the students that Psalm 31, like the other psalms we have read today, was written by King David.
   • Summarize: A thousand years before Jesus came to earth, God used the psalmist David to tell us exactly what Jesus would say just before He died.
4. Christ’s Resurrection.
   • Explain the following:
     • The Gospel message includes both the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ.
     • Our main focus at Easter, however, is the fact that Jesus arose from the dead.
     • The resurrection is essential to Christianity: if Christ couldn’t overcome death and save Himself from the grave, how could He possibly save us from our sins?
     • Without the resurrection there is no
     • The resurrection of Jesus was the focus of the apostles’ preaching.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Acts 2, which records the words Peter preached on the day of Pentecost.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 2:22-28.
   • Ask: “What did Peter say in the first phrase of verse 25?” (“For David speaketh concerning Him”).
   • Tell the class that in verses 25-28 the Apostle Peter quoted Old Testament prophecies about Christ’s resurrection that were written by King David in Psalm 16.
   • Ask the students to hold their place in Acts 2 while turning to Psalm 16.
   • Read Psalm 16:8-11.
   • Invite everyone to flip between Psalm 16 and Acts 2 in their Bibles as you explain the following:
     • Peter quoted Psalm 16:8 in Acts 2:25.
     • Peter quoted Psalm 16:9 in Acts 2:26.
     • Peter quoted Psalm 16:10 in Acts 2:27.
     • Peter quoted Psalm 16:11 in Acts 2:28.
   • Direct everyone’s attention back to Psalm 16:10.
   • Ask: “Who do you think God’s ‘Holy One’ is?” (Jesus Christ).
   • Ask: “What do you think the word ‘corruption’ means?” (rot and decay, referring to the decaying of an unembalmed dead body in the grave).
   • Tell the students the Lord did not allow Christ’s body to rot and decay in the grave.
   • Explain the following:
     • God inspired King David to write this prophecy of Christ’s resurrection.
     • The Apostle Peter quoted this prophecy in his sermon on the day of Pentecost.
     • The Apostle Paul quoted this prophecy in his preaching on his missionary journeys (see Acts 13:34-37).
   • Summarize: A thousand years before Jesus came to earth, God used the psalmist David to tell us that Jesus would arise from the dead.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.  Tell them on this Easter Sunday we have discovered several prophecies in the book of Psalms about Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Ask the students what prophecies we have discovered.  They should name the following:

• Jesus never did anything wrong, but He was rejected, hated, and brutally attacked.
• He came in love, but was hated in return.
• He did only good, but the Jewish religious leaders sent Him to His death on the cross.
• The people who saw Him on the cross shook their heads in disgust.
• The people challenged God to deliver Jesus from the cross if He was truly His Son.
• Jesus spoke the very words prophesied 1,000 years earlier in Psalm 22:1.
• They gave Jesus vinegar to drink while He was on the cross.
• As He died, Jesus spoke the specific words that were prophesied 1,000 years earlier (“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”).
• Jesus Christ arose from the dead, just as David and many other Old Testament writers prophesied centuries before it occurred.

Tell the class that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are proven facts.  Tell them we study Jesus’ death and resurrection every Easter, but we must not let our minds and hearts become “numb” to these very familiar facts.

Ask: “What difference does Christ’s resurrection make in your life?  Does it really matter?” (without His crucifixion and resurrection we could not be saved).  Ask: “How should we respond to that truth?” (we should thank Jesus for dying to pay for our sins and arising to conquer death).

Remind the class that Jesus Christ arose from the dead just as God promised 1,000 years earlier.  Stress the fact that a God who can keep such a seemingly impossible promise is worthy of our trust.  Ask: “Jesus faced a lot of troubles.  Are you facing any troubles right now?  Do you think you can trust Him to help you face your troubles and stay faithful through them?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Encourage them to thank Jesus for dying and arising for them, and to place their complete trust in Him for help to face their troubles.  After a moment of silence, voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Remind the students that in spite of our advances in medicine and science, the death rate among humans is still 100% – we can’t defeat death, but Jesus Christ did!  Encourage everyone to turn their daily problems over to the Lord.